MSFS ADE 2020 Alpha 18 Released

[scruffyduck]

This is a significant update to the last alpha. It contains breaking changes. These mean that certain things work in a way that is not backward compatible with earlier versions. Because of this you need to create a new installation for alpha 18. Do not install it over an earlier version and do not share projects with it and earlier versions. Make copies of your projects to use with alpha 18. The application is now 64bit which means ADE has access to much more memory and should therefore no generate Out of Memory Errors. If you still get them then please report it.

Summary of changes

Added

• Max wingspan allowed ring for parking spaces. This is something that appears to be used in MSFS and if the outer rings overlap then planes may not park next to each other
• More SimObjects that can be added by ADE

Updated

• Handling of detailed object footprints generation and storage. This is a breaking change
• Handling of libraries in the Library Object Manager to allow libraries with the same name to be added or updated (uses the full path name rather than the file name). This is a breaking change
• ADE is now a 64bit application with better memory capabilities
• Jetway handling (may be breaking changes)
  • DeleteAllJetways is now set to true by default
  • Delete Parking Spot deletes Jetway
  • Edit to Parking Spot reflected automatically into Jetway including suffix
  • Move/rotate editing of placement
  • New jetway with selection of connector type
  • Automatic selection of Connector Type based on distance from building to Jetway SimObject End

Fixed

• CTD when opening taxi point list.
• Out of memory errors by updating ADE to 64bit (Thanks to Dick for his help)
• Name and typing of Parking Spot
• Send log not sending the current project

Removed

• Disabled Load Last Project in Settings since it loads only the ADE project and not the MSFS Project.
• Disabled Copy to Community Folder Dialog.

Installation and breaking changes

Make a fresh install. Make copies of any project you wish to use in alpha 18. The breaking changes are

Handling of Detailed Footprints and Handling of Libraries in the LOM

The database used to store footprints is generating errors and it is no longer supported by the developer. ADE no longer uses the MFDB in the global folder and this is missing from Alpha 18. Instead footprints are stored as individual files. Aside from easier management this has reduced the disk space required to store footprints. If you have added your own library objects to the LOM then you will need to load them again for Alpha 18. Since MSFS allows the same library file name (eg modelLib.bgl) in different packages the LOM could not handle these. It can now but it means you will need to re add any personal libraries to the LOM.

Jetways

The handling of jetways has been changed considerably. This may be a breaking change for existing projects with jetways . If you have such projects then be sure to make a copy to use with Alpha 18. If you have issues with existing jetways in alpha 18 the you can probably fix it by creating a new project from the source XML file of the existing project.

Late Issues

A late bug in adding jetways. Do not right click inside the parking spot to create the jetway. It causes a malformed result. Click on the edge of the building that the jetway is to be attached to. Generally jetways are to the left side of the aircraft and ADE draws a new jetway in that orientation before it is edited


Download from here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/zp8gkmfkfl6ym31/ade_2020_alpha_18_Installer.zip/file

HOTFIX 1
This hotfix file contains fixes for the Send Log and Custom glTF Models bugs.

HOTFIX 2
This hotfix file is cumulative and contains the fixes from Hotfix 1 and corrects the orientation of library objects .

HOTFIX 3
Cumulative update includes fixes from HF1 and HF2. Also:

• Restored Copy to Community Folder for MS Edition users. This is optional and can be set in Settings > Options > General Tab
• Updated display of Property Grid so that it now opens in all circumstances. (This to avoid errors and CTDs with the Common Property Dialog) It will open with Enter, Ctrl+Enter and so on. This can be turned off in Settings > Options > General Tab but it is strongly recommended to use the Property Grid to stop issues
• Undo is now available for changes made in the Property Grid.
• Send Log will now check the size of the project folder before attempting to send it (max 30Mb uncompressed)
• Fix for duplicated parking index numbers

HOTFIX 4
Cumulative update includes fixes HF1 > HF3. Also

• Added apron attribute to Force Draw Above Runways
• Updated taxi sign edit will open visual edit (common property dialog) at all times
• Updated coloration of Aprons, Runways and Taxi paths to match internal tools
• Fixed error generated when loading jetways with no connector
• Fixed Parking Suffix invalid values (67, 79, 83)
• Fixed surface type error when creating apron from helper shape
• Fixed loss of taxi path surface type when loading airport from XML or BGL

https://www.mediafire.com/file/uvu3zkri01scmcp/ade_2020_Alpha_18_Hotfix_4.zip/file

Copy the contents into the current alpha 18 installation folder. You need to do this while this message is present in this post. Later the main installer will be updated

 

[Gelomare]

Jon, i love the operating speeds change for Alpha 18. One concern though. When i open my alpha 17 project in alpha 18. all my model buildings are out of place, so i have to start the process of putting them back in their proper places. Is therer a way to open aversion 17 project without having to redo a lot of things? Thanks for a great program. I also encountered the following error message when trying to re add my models to ADE20. Alpha18.

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at ScruffyDuck.AirportDesignEditor.Repositories.ModelFootprintGenerator.GetTriangles(Boolean useReplace, Model model)
at ScruffyDuck.AirportDesignEditor.Listers.Lister.AddModel()
at ScruffyDuck.AirportDesignEditor.Listers.Lister.OnAddButtonClick(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

Gelomare

 

[scruffyduck]

Jon, i love the operating speeds change for Alpha 18. One concern though. When i open my alpha 17 project in alpha 18. all my model buildings are out of place, so i have to start the process of putting them back in their proper places. Is therer a way to open aversion 17 project without having to redo a lot of things? Thanks for a great program. I also encountered the following error message when trying to re add my models to ADE20. Alpha18.

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at ScruffyDuck.AirportDesignEditor.Repositories.ModelFootprintGenerator.GetTriangles(Boolean useReplace, Model model)
at ScruffyDuck.AirportDesignEditor.Listers.Lister.AddModel()
at ScruffyDuck.AirportDesignEditor.Listers.Lister.OnAddButtonClick(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

Gelomare

Please send me the project. As far as I know I have not changed the placement of objects other than maybe rotation. Can you provide a screenshot also of the buildings in Alpha 17 and alpha 18?

As to the models are these custom models or did you load them via glTF models. I am sorry the alpha breaks a lot of things but we had to take a point to make these changes. Breaking changes are always possible in an alpha development

 

[scruffyduck]

please use tools > send log to send me the log so that I can see what is going on

 

[scruffyduck]

I am not able to send a log via tools > send log (unfortunately CTD)
The log file is attached.

Thanks - that identifies the issue and I think I know what is happening. I don't understand the error for sending the log but I will check that out also

 

[art209]

I tried Alpha 18 with an existing project despite cautions (after making a backup and XML copy). Project loaded fine, but without model footprints as happened with previous new versions. Trying to add a model to the list resulted in the same crash described above. Build Project seemed to complete okay but no longer an option to copy to community folder. I copied the package manually and everything displayed fine in MSFS.

 

[james kaufman]

I tried Alpha 18 with an existing project despite cautions (after making a backup and XML copy). Project loaded fine, but without model footprints as happened with previous new versions. Trying to add a model to the list resulted in the same crash described above. Build Project seemed to complete okay but no longer an option to copy to community folder. I copied the package manually and everything displayed fine in MSFS.

File > copy package.. or ALt-C to do it within ADE . (I'm assuming my manually copied it you mean actually copying the files/directories yourself.)
Seemed better to me when it just popped up the dialog after building.

 

[Gelomare]

Could not send the file via email. too large!

Please send me the project. As far as I know I have not changed the placement of objects other than maybe rotation. Can you provide a screenshot also of the buildings in Alpha 17 and alpha 18?

As to the models are these custom models or did you load them via glTF models. I am sorry the alpha breaks a lot of things but we had to take a point to make these changes. Breaking changes are always possible in an alpha development

Jon, I am attaching two snips. One from Alpha 17 and the other from Alpha 18. The model were all glTF model in the alpha 17 snip and the very same ones in the alpha 18 snip. These are models that were converted with ModelConverterX for Alpha 17. My project is being emailed to you. I am sending the Alpha 17 version. If you want the Alpha 18 instead, let me know. Many thanks.
Gelomare

 

[art209]

When i open my alpha 17 project in alpha 18. all my model buildings are out of place, so i have to start the process of putting them back in their proper places. Is therer a way to open aversion 17 project without having to redo a lot of things? Thanks for a great program. I also encountered the following error message when trying to re add my models to ADE20. Alpha18.

Your models haven't moved. This is what happens when using a project file in a new alpha version of ADE. Since the model footprints are lost, they are just shown with a rectangle with the model center at one corner of the rectangle. Look for a red dot after selecting the rectangle. I have the same problem and can only cure it by deleting the model from the airport and the model list after marking the center. When the model is added back to the list and placed on the airport again, the footprint shows correctly. Unfortunately, the add model to list is currently broken, so there is no way to correct until the problem is fixed. As I understand the update notes, the problem with losing model footprints is one of the things fixed so that the problem will not continue going forward after this alpha.

 

[scruffyduck]

File > copy package.. or ALt-C to do it within ADE . (I'm assuming my manually copied it you mean actually copying the files/directories yourself.)
Seemed better to me when it just popped up the dialog after building.

I disabled it temporarily because in some circumstances the build fails but the dialog appears and it is possible copy a failed build

 

[scruffyduck]

I will try and fix the problems with send log and user models as soon as possible

 

[Gelomare]

I will try and fix the problems with send log and user models as soon as possible

Thanks Jon. We appreciate You and this great work.

 

[scruffyduck]

Hotfix 1 which deals with the send log and adding glTF models bugs is available from the top post

 

[scruffyduck]

Your models haven't moved. This is what happens when using a project file in a new alpha version of ADE. Since the model footprints are lost, they are just shown with a rectangle with the model center at one corner of the rectangle. Look for a red dot after selecting the rectangle. I have the same problem and can only cure it by deleting the model from the airport and the model list after marking the center. When the model is added back to the list and placed on the airport again, the footprint shows correctly. Unfortunately, the add model to list is currently broken, so there is no way to correct until the problem is fixed. As I understand the update notes, the problem with losing model footprints is one of the things fixed so that the problem will not continue going forward after this alpha.

With Hotfix 1 you should be able to add your glTF models and if for any reason the footprints don't show you can force them to be regenerated with the Get Footprints button at the bottom of the model list

 

[KOKOKT999]

Hotfix 1 which deals with the send log and adding glTF models bugs is available from the top post

The problem seems to be solved. User models can be imported fine to ADE, now. Thanks for your efforts and fast response.
At the moment, I am not able to load the project into the MSFS. I need to check what I am missing.
EDIT : I could not manage to load the project properly in MSFS. It is not loading by default and when I try to open the project via MSFS with xml file, it shows some aprons and jetways of the project but not the user models. For your information.
Backup of the project was big too upload but the log file is attached.
Have a nice day.

 

[Gelomare]

Thanks Jon, for your quick response and i will report out later.

 

[kmalle]

I am having the same problem with shifted customer models which I have imported from version Alpha17

 

[deebee]

Hi, I have just recently started using ADE Alpha for MSFS. Firstly, thanks very much for creating a version for the new sim, I loved using ADE for previous sims so it is great to see it.

I tried loading a project created from v17 into v18 and most of the library objects are black and show as unknown. Looking at the Library Object Manager window looks like the paths are hard coded (presumably from your dev. PC)

Is this something I can fix myself? My paths are already pointing to my MSFS install.

EDIT: Actually the path name doesn't seem to be too much of a problem, more that it was missing the generic.bgl library

 

[JanMartinHamburg]

Hi Jon, not so happy about the things I can read here; "breaking changes" ... "not backward compatible"; but always happy with Alpha 17, except: Did you try to fix the Runway Start Inversion issue of Alpha 15, which still persists in Alpha 17? The problem could be a result of the compiling process, since the XML seems to be correct.

 

[scruffyduck]

Hi, I have just recently started using ADE Alpha for MSFS. Firstly, thanks very much for creating a version for the new sim, I loved using ADE for previous sims so it is great to see it.

I tried loading a project created from v17 into v18 and most of the library objects are black and show as unknown. Looking at the Library Object Manager window looks like the paths are hard coded (presumably from your dev. PC)

Is this something I can fix myself? My paths are already pointing to my MSFS install.

EDIT: Actually the path name doesn't seem to be too much of a problem, more that it was missing the generic.bgl library

View attachment 70945

You are right - they are the paths from my computer but actually they don't matter since they are just used to differentiate between libraries. Everything from \official\ is accurate. It does make me wonder if I could have done this better.